Neal Martin, Robert Parker's UK contributor, recently posted a rather entertaining look at a restaurant wine list from 1977 on the Mark Squires' Bulletin Board (hosted on the erobertparker website). The prices asked for some of the finest wines the world has ever produced put last month's 12.5% drop in the Liv-ex 100 Fine Wine Index somewhat in perspective.
"I have just returned from lunching/interviewing Barry Philips, one of this country's most experienced tasters/bon viveurs. I wanted to speak to someone who regularly tasted the great post-war wines first-hand and it will (hopefully) make a fascinating article for Wine-Journal. Barry ran a famous restaurant, "The White Horse" in Chilgrove for many years, which boasted a wine list that attracted both locals and a jaw-dropping list of pop-stars and Hollywood A-listers. Barry kindly dug out the original wine list from around 1977 for my night-time reading, so before I jet off to LA, I thought I would share some of the wines.
"The list starts with a long list of German wines, indicative of customers' tastes at the time before moving onto a wide selection of Alsace (Clos St. Hune '49 £8.75). Pertinent to this week's article, we have Bollinger VVF '70 at £19.75 and apropos white Bordeaux: an intriguing non-vintage Pavillon Blanc de Margaux £5.35 or maybe HB Blanc '70 at £10.95.
Burgundy? Long list of DRC. I might go for a La Tache '64 (£38.50…I know, expensive, but it is a magnum.) But for one pound more I could order Romanee Conti '66.
"Bordeaux? Page after page. Figeac '24 at £19.95 might be nice. There is that bloody awful wine, Palmer '61 for £38.00, but save three quid and you can get the '28. Nah…there is a credit cruch, opt for the Latour '61 at £18.00 (alas the 1904 at £25.00 is sold out.)
Splashing out: Mouton '45 (£75.00) with the Cheval '47 the same price, or the delectable '53 for (£35.00). Petrus is expensive, I mean the '47 at £225.00 although that is for a magnum. Off this list, I could order the '55, '61, '64 and '66 for less than that!
"The port list would make Roy Hersh faint. Personally I would opt for the Taylor '35 at £28.00 or the Noval '31 at £38.00.
"I cannot decide between which vintage of Rayne-Vigneau to go for 1898, 1899 or 1900 which are all around thirty quid. Or maybe the Yquem '21…but that is £75.00.
Time to leave. If only I had a time-machine."
